Arizona Routing Question - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Arizona Routing Question

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would take I-40 to Flagstaff then17 south to highway 60 in Phoenix then east to Gold Canyon. Only good way to get to Gold Canyon heading west is if you cross counrty on I-20/10. Gold Canyon is a nice place to be in the winter.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

DON'T go over to Flagstaff unless you absolutely have to. Get off of I-40 at Winslow (and see if the girl is still there in her flat bed Ford) and head down 87 to Payson, then keep on 87 heading towards Mesa - it is called the Beeline Highway and is well traveled. Keep coming towards Mesa and then take Loop 202 EAST to US Highway 60 East to Gold Canyon.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbara,

Thanks for your input - just what I was looking for. Over the last 20 years I have traveled to Phoenix more than 100 times - always by air - for work - and to see my folks who retired and built a home in the east valley. I retired a year ago and now most of my travels are by car, towing our 40+’ fifth wheel. This will be our first adventure driving out west from Chicago, so I needed a bit of guidance on routing. I appreciate your help.

Barb

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbaraok wrote:
DON'T go over to Flagstaff unless you absolutely have to. Get off of I-40 at Winslow (and see if the girl is still there in her flat bed Ford) and head down 87 to Payson, then keep on 87 heading towards Mesa - it is called the Beeline Highway and is well traveled. Keep coming towards Mesa and then take Loop 202 EAST to US Highway 60 East to Gold Canyon.

Not doubting your advice, however could you elaborate as to why you recommend to NOT travel through Flagstaff. I have driven through Flagstaff a couple of times, albeit not towing our 5th wheel, and don’t feel it’s much different then many mountain towns.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just my preference as I have lived in Apache Jct for 10 years! I would rather use I-40 to Flagstaff then down I-17 toward Phoenix (Just avoid Rush Hour traffic!) then East on 60! 87 has the steep downgrade at the Mogollan Rim, then the long uphill climb before you take 60 West to Gold Canyon! JMHO! Albeit, I left there in August of 1988! Pieere

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

I-17 is a fairly steep decent from Flag and it is the scene of weekly shutdowns due to traffic accidents. Plus I-40 from Winslow to Kingman is terrible. Grades are about the same as using the Beeline Highway. Now if one is not comfortable with 6-7% grades, then maybe head south from Albuquerque on I-25 and pick up I-10 west at Los Cruces, staying on it until on it until it hits Loop 202 on south side of Chandler, take the Loop 202 east until you get to US 60 east to Gold Canyon.

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbaraok wrote:
I-17 is a fairly steep decent from Flag and it is the scene of weekly shutdowns due to traffic accidents. Plus I-40 from Winslow to Kingman is terrible. Grades are about the same as using the Beeline Highway. Now if one is not comfortable with 6-7% grades, then maybe head south from Albuquerque on I-25 and pick up I-10 west at Los Cruces, staying on it until on it until it hits Loop 202 on south side of Chandler, take the Loop 202 east until you get to US 60 east to Gold Canyon.

There are similar grades all over the western part of the US that are equal or greater. This is just one of the vagaries of traveling out west. Traffic slow downs are just another obstacle to overcom. It’s one of the reasons we try to keep our days between 200-225 miles a day.

My opinion would be to adjust your schedule to plan for the worst and hope for the best. If one really wants to avoid grades to the Phoenix come in on I 10 from west Texas. You will still encounter some, but they are minimal. However like I will be doing starting today coming from the Moab UT area, is transversing whatever reasonable terrain I need to to minimize the distance so I will be traveling through Flagstaff down to Phoenix.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ricki: Coming from Moab, going through Flagstaff makes sense. Coming from Chicago it might not. Taking 87 also avoids much of the Phoenix traffic. We have taken about every route to the Phoenix metro from all directions. They all have their pluses and minuses. Right now we are in Page Arizona heading to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We will be in Mesa in a few weeks, but are enjoying the journey along the way.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks everyone for your comments. It looks like I need to study the maps a bit more to see which route is best for us.

Barb

-- Edited by Barb and Frank on Saturday 29th of September 2018 09:27:38 AM

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ricki,

The OP indicated they were unfamiliar with towing in the West (Rockies, Cascades/Sierras, Coast Range) which is why I gave the alternative of going down to Los Cruces and over. What I should have included was that occasionally Flagstaff will get snow the end of October, so always watch weather ahead of your travels.

Julie and Ray · RV-Dreams Family Member

We did our first big trip in our RV (36' Class A) last November from Chicago to Phoenix and wanted an easy drive. Took I-57 to I-55 to I-40 to I-30 to I-20 to I-10. Easy drive - we did go through Dallas on a Sunday. If you are not in a hurry, this might be a route to consider. Some nice, no-frills camp grounds (which we really like) along the way with extremely great people.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Julie and Ray!

Barb

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

The only change I'd make to Julie & Ray's itinerary is that when on I-30 you pick up I-635 on the east side of Dallas, take that loop south and it will merge into I-20. Just stay at least 2 lanes to the left (the right lane is often an exit only at different points). You can do this anytime and will avoid all of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks so much, Barb!

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've made the run from the DFW Metroplex to Mesa so many times I believe I could do it all in my sleep.

We normally leave metroplex around 10:00 am and stop in Big Springs for the night.
Next day is down I-10 to Van Horn, where there is a little KOA that has a cute cafe that Dave likes - - the only KOA we stop at anymore. Third day is either Deming or Lordsburg, depending upon the winds.
Fourth day, it is either take Highway 70 at Lordsburg towards Globe, then Highway 60 (this involves more mountain grades) on to Mesa, or stay on I-10 to Mesa. The deciding factor is weather/wind. We have also stopped in Benson if the weather isn't particularly good which adds an extra night on the journey.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Since we don't have a reason to eat out in Van Horn Texas, we stop at Desert Willow on Passport America for $13.50/night. It is a dirt parking lot with hookups, but that works for a night. If you are not in a hurry, Las Cruces NM is a nice place to hang out a couple days, visiting Mesilla and buying locally grown pecans.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
Since we don't have a reason to eat out in Van Horn Texas, we stop at Desert Willow on Passport America for $13.50/night. It is a dirt parking lot with hookups, but that works for a night. If you are not in a hurry, Las Cruces NM is a nice place to hang out a couple days, visiting Mesilla and buying locally grown pecans.

Wow - can’t beat that rate!

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually that might be the Escapees rate, but I think Passport America is the same. We are normally happy when a discount gets us under $20/night, so $13.50 was great. (That was in April).

-- Edited by bjoyce on Wednesday 10th of October 2018 11:14:20 AM